Eurocup Last 32: three progress
The Eurocup Last 32 has passed its halfway point and we are now on the road to the first knock-out phase, with all the groups starting to take shape. There are just two games remaining in the Eurocup Last 32 phase, so expect the action to get fierce as clubs jostle for position and a place in the round of sixteen.
Three clubs made it to the Eigthfinals, Strasbourg, Gran Canaria, and Unics Kazan the teams celebrating tonight.
Group G
A night of record equaling saw Banvit Bandirma crush Ratiopharm Ulm 92-72 on the road. Dominique Johnson made 6 of 8 three pointers to end on 20 points, Adrien Moerman impressed in his double-double performance of 19 points and 19 rebounds, while Courtney Fortson also connected a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds. Combined they equaled Banvit’s record for triples in a single night.
Dominion Bilbao Basket sunk FC Bayern Munch 88-90 by a single point on the road to hand the German club its first loss of the Eurocup Last 32. A win for Munich would have meant a Eighthfinal berth, but Bilbao won it when Dairis Bertans drained at the line. Bertans finished with 24 points and was 100% from triple range (4-4).
Group H
Strasbourg defeated Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem 69-79 and punched its ticket to the final 16. The French club stays untouched in the standings and built this win on the back of a 0-11 run in the first act that meant a 15-31 lead through 10 minutes. Jerusalem could never get back into the contest.
Herbalife Gran Canaria Las Palmas rallied past Avtodor Saratov 85-92 to close the door in Group H by claiming the other qualifying positon. A 14 point advantage through the first quarter meant the Spanish guests were in cruise control. Avtodor fought back in a spirited third act to retake the lead, but Gran Canaria found another gear to shut it down in the fourth.
Group J
Aris Thessaloniki’s unbeaten home form continue with a 73-63 win over ALBA Berlin, handing the German visitors another loss. The hosts led from the first quarter and held the advantage despite ALBA storming back. In the fourth frame, Dragan Milosavljevic. However, Jerel McNeal and Vassilis Symtsak combined for a 12-0 run that killed the contest.
Group K
Dolomiti Energia Trento tamed Pinar Karsiyaka Izmir 76-72 at home to take sole possession of first place in Group K. The Italians took and early 22-5 lead and never looked back, picking up a win that meant the swept the current Turkish champions from Karsiyaka.
Grissin Bon Reggio Emilia beat Trabzonspor Medical Park 89-76 at home to make it an Italian 1-2 at the top of Group K. The game was won in the first half when the hosts combined 7-0 and 11-0 runs to lead 37-20, and then controlled large parts of the game after. Amedeo Della Valle led the winners with 18 points and Vladimir Veremeenko added 16 and 10 rebounds for a double-double game.
Group L
Stelmet Zielona Gora stunned previously undefeated Zenit St. Petersburg 69-73 on the road to keep its hopes alive. Zenit would have progressed with a win, but Stelmet Zielona Gora proved a dogged opponent, building off a 33-33 tie at halftime to win the game thanks to a stirring second half from Mateusz Ponitka, who finished with 18 points and 9 boards.
Umana Reyer Venice bested MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg 71-64 at home, progressing its lead throughout the contest. Phillip Goss paced the win with 16 points as Venice led 50-34 during the third quarter and held on through the fourth to seal the victory.
Group M
Maccabi Tel Aviv’s European campaign has taken another turn for the worse this season as the Israeli giant slipped 78-68 to Unics Kazan. The victory sent the Russians coasting into the next round after a solid Eurocup Last 32 so far. The hosts looked to Keith Langford’s 20 points and 9 rebounds to lead the way.
Group N
Galatasaray Odeabank Istanbul breezed past Szolnoki Olaj 54-74 to put one foot in the Eighthfinals. The Turkish club fought back from a one point losing deficit through the long break, before using a 6-21 run that spanned the third and fourth quarters to win the game. Vladimir Micov was explosive in the win, with 5-for-8 from three-point range, bucketing 25 points.